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(NoModeL) G. W. HARRISON.

HORSE DBTAGHER. No. 429,904. Patented June 10, 1890.

IN VENTOH A TTOHNE Y S UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. HARRISON, OF SANTA ANNA, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF TVVO- THIRDS TOTHOMAS IV. DICKSON AND HIGDON S. TARVER, OF

SAME PLACE.

HORSE-DETACH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,904, dated June 10,1890.

Application filed January 16, 1890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. HARRISON, of Santa Anna, in the county ofColeman and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful ImprovementinHorse-Detachers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in horsedetachers, by which, in case of arunaway, the horse or team may be quickly released from the whiffletreeby turning the latter; and the invention consists in certain novelconstructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows the invention in position in connectionwithpart of a carriage. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the inventionwith the devices in full lines in position as when the horse is detachedor released. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the invention, and Fig.4 shows the upper and lower plates in detail and detached.

My invention is shown in its application to a singletree, but manifestlyit might be used in connection with the singletrees on an evener-bar orin connection with the evenerbar of a doubletree, and in referring tothe turning portion of my invention I shall designate the tnrnin gportion as the whiffletree, intending to include under such term-boththe singletree and the doubletree, as it will be obvious thattheinvention is applicable to both single and double teams.

In the construction shown, the whiflietree A is supported on theshaft-bar B, which connects the shafts or thills C, such bar Bconstituting the support for the whiffietree. At its ends thewhiffletree shown is provided with hooks, which both open in the samedirection, and when the whiffletree is in its normal position open orface to the rear, as shown, so as to secure the traces. It will now beseen that if the whiffletree be given a half turn the hooks will bereversed and open forward and release the trace. To this end I hinge thewhiffletree at its rear edge so that it maybe turned backward to reversethe hooks. This hinging of the tree at its rear edge is important,inasmuch as, by reason of the arrangement of the hinge, the tendency ofthe draft is to keep the tree in proper position to hold the trace inengagement with its hooks.

reach of the driver.

Serial No. 337,157. (No model.)

ing connected at their rear edges by hingejoints, and having at suchedge an opening for the clip F, which braces the parts in place. On itsunder side the plate E has a tubular projection e, which encircles thepivot-bolt G and forms a turn-table-like portion.

The plate D is formed with an arm or lever d, which extends up in frontof the whiflietree and into the carriage or wagon in convenient Now bydrawing on this cord or chain the whiffletree will be turned and thetraces released.

In connection with my before-described improvements I prefer to arrangethe hooks II for the holdbackstraps to open forward, as shown, so thatwhen the traces are released and the horse moves forward theholdbackstraps will also be released and the horse can move forward outof the shafts.

It will be seen that the connection constructed as described can bemanufactured and put on the market and can be applied by a wheelwrightorthe owner of the carriage to the whiffietree and support.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. Thecombination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of the whiflietreesupport and the whiffletree hinged at its rear end thereto, whereby thedraft on said whifiietree will tend to hold the same in normal position,and whereby such whiffletree may be turned forcibly backward to reverseits trace-hooks or the like and release the traces, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination of the whifi'letree-support, the whiffletree, thehinge connecting such parts having its upper and lower plates secured,respectively, to the whiffletree and its support and jointed at theirrear edges, and the arm or lever extended forward from the upper plate,whereby upward draft on said arm or lever will turn the whiffletreebackward from its normal position to release the traces, substantiallyas set forth.

3. In a horse-detacher and as a new article of manufacture, a connectionhaving an upper and alower plate hinged together at their ward to freethe traces from the hooks, the rear edges, the upper plate being formedwith said hooks being arranged to open rearwardly an arm or leverextended forward and bent toward the hinge-joint when the whifiletree isdownward, all substantially as and for the in its normal posit-ion withthe hinge-eonnec- I 5 5 purposes set forth. tion closed, allsubstantially as and for the 4. In a horse-detacher, the combination ofpurposes set forth. the bar orsnpport, the whifiletree having the endhooks, the connection formed of upper GEORGE W. HARRISON. and lowerplates united bya hinge-joint, the Vitnesses: [o hinge beingat the rearedge of the Whiflletree, H. D. XVALKER,

whereby the whiflietree maybe turned back- 1 \V. W. MCCUTCHEN.

